What to look for tonight: Deal for Bess, need for CB

Well, the talks between the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins about a Branden Albert trade have not yet borne fruit at this hour. Truth is they have reportedly not progressed much, if at all.

Me? If I'm Jeff Ireland I don't bother with this issue until after the draft. If Albert is available today, he'll be available after the draft, particularly following Kansas City's drafting of tackle Eric Fisher at No. 1 overall on Thursday.

Give them a draft pick next year.

The news on a possible Davone Bess trade is more substantial. Although Ireland said nothing was going on with the Bess issue Thursday, I have just gotten word from the Dolphins that the process is proceeding.

It seems as if Bess will indeed be traded before the weekend is over and possibly by tonight.

I have no details beyond that.

Now, the draft itself. The Dolphins hold the No. 54 overall selection in the second round. They have two selections in the third round -- 77th and 82nd overall.

The areas of need?

Tight end. Offensive line. Cornerback.

About the cornerback spot, Ireland refuses to acknowledge that it is a need.

“What do I think about my need at cornerback? Well I don’t know that it is a huge need," he said. "I certainly would like to address the secondary at some point, but we’ll have to see how the draft goes.”

If Ireland is comfortable with Brent Grimes (coming back from Achilles' surgery) and Richard Marshall (coming back from back surgery) and Nolan Carroll and Dimitri Patterson, he is trippin'.

That group is a house of cards waiting to collapse. If they all remain healthy and all play at their career best, then the Dolphins won't be terrible at the position. But how often does that happen? How often does everything that must go right, actually go right?

The Dolphins need to draft a cornerback.

Some of the corners the club has shown interest in during the past few weeks include Boise State’s Jamar Taylor, Oregon State's Jordan Poyer, SE Louisiana’s Robert Alford, Mississippi State’s Darius Slay, California’s Steve Williams. All remain available.

History says corners taken after the second round typically don't make a positive impact. That would could mean today is Miami's final chance this offseason to address the position.

If they don't, it is my belief this issue will be troubling to the team in 2013.